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Standardisation of disk diffusion results for antibiotic susceptibility testing using the sirscan automated zone
Michael Hombach1, Reinhard Zbinden, Erik C Böttger
1Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Universität Zürich, Gloriastrasse 30/32, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland. mhombach@imm.uzh.ch.
BMC Microbiology
|October 9, 2013
Summary
Automated inhibition zone reading using the Sirscan automatic zone reader significantly improves the precision and reproducibility of antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST). This advancement enhances the standardization of disk diffusion methods for more accurate results.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Clinical Diagnostics
- Medical Technology
Background:
- Standardizing disk diffusion readings is crucial for improving the accuracy and reproducibility of antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST).
- Automated zone readers offer a potential solution for consistent AST results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the accuracy, reproducibility, and precision of automated inhibition zone reading using the "Sirscan automatic" zone reader.
- To compare automated readings with manual caliper measurements and on-screen adjusted readings.
Main Methods:
- Compared "Sirscan automatic" zone reader results with manual caliper measurements for 100 clinical bacterial isolates.
- Assessed reproducibility by comparing standard deviations of manual, adjusted, and fully automated Sirscan measurements for quality control strains (S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa).
Main Results:
- "Sirscan automatic" and manual caliper measurements showed high comparability, with no significant differences detected.
- Fully automated Sirscan readings demonstrated significantly lower standard deviations compared to manual and adjusted readings.
- This resulted in improved reproducibility and precision for the automated method.
Conclusions:
- Fully automated zone reading with the "Sirscan automatic" reader enhances the standardization of AST.
- The method improves the precision of inhibition zone diameter results by decreasing standard deviation.
